Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-12-17
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 70, 1887.

WASHINGTON, Dec. -, 1887.
The Democratic policy, as declared
by Speaker Carlisle and emphasized
in the excellent message of President
Cleveland, makes it certain that tariff
revision is only question of a very
short time, the only doubt being as
to what methods should be employed
to effect such legislation. Mr.. Cleve-
lands tariff manifesto is evidently his
most popular and practical utterance,
it has taken the Democratic portion
of Congress by storm-there being but
a few dissenting voices, while it is
clear from the guarded expressions of
Republican Congressman, that there
is imminent danger of the disintegra-
ton of that party, now that it iscom-
PEELED to take an unequivocal posi-
ten OH the one vital issue of the
times.
Mr.. Blaine's defiant deliverance on
the message, as flashed from France,
is taken in the capital as virtually a
personal announcement that the man
from Maine is willing to enter the
lists as the advocate of a high pro-
tective tariff against his old adver-
sary. 1t is further believed that
Blaine has shrewdly scored two i'm
portant preliminary victories over
his Republican competitors for the
Presidential nomination-in being
the first to roundly condemn the
message, and in having the National
Republican Convention again called
to meet at Chicago, the scene of
his former triumph. Sherman's
friends favored Cincinnati, Allison's
Minneapolis, and Hawley's Phila-
delphia.
There was great poW-wow last
week at the meeting of the Republi-
can National Committee in this city,
many statesmen of national renown
being present, several of whom made
speeches. One admission, inadver-
tently made by Ex-senator Window,
of Minnesota, is worth quoting. He
said that if the Democrats were sue
cessful next year, the Democracy
would probably continue in power
fifteen or twenty years. Most Demo
Gratis endorse this prognostication.
Those who had expected to witness
exciting or sensational scenes at the
organization of the Fiftieth (Centen.
AiaD Congress, were greatly disap.
pointed, as there was nothing unusu-
al, except harmless outbreak from
religious crank in the gallery, who
aroused the risibilities of the vast
throng by singing the doxo ogy in q
doleful solo. In both the Senate and
House there seemed to have fallen
showers of fragrant and radiant flow
ers, fresh from rosy gardens of bloom
and beauty. 1t was a pleasant sight
to see the beaming faces of the
favored statesmen as they gratefully
smiled over the gifts of admirine
friends. But very many of the veter
on Congressman were saddened a.
they sought in vain for the familiar
countenances of numbers of their latt
colleagues, whose public careers haC
ended, at least temporarily. Among
the missing were 125 from the HOUSE
two thirds of the chairmen of com
mittees being included in the list
Those CONSPICUOUS for absence in thu
House were Morrison, Lowering
Warner, Wellborn, Bragg, and Banks
dale, and from the Senate Camden
MaXey, Mahone, Conger, ana WOOD
pulp" Miller.
Last week only brief sessions 0
Congress were held, and little rea
work can be done until the commit
tees are appointed, the Senate com
mittees will be announced this week
but owing to the much greater diff
Guilty of organizing the House Com
mittees, it is doubtful whether the.
will be announced before the holida.
season.
Mr.. Randall is carefully preparing
a bill of revenue reduction and TART
reform, looking to a sixty million
dollar cut in taxation--the amount t.
no ohot,t ayov,ly divided batu,oop III